HCE Blog

Flu Season Fall is here. Leaves are falling, school is in session, and holidays are being prepped. It’s also that time of the year again where we are entering flu season. Generally, the flu will affect between 9 million and 45 million people in the United States. Although the flu did not affect many people in 2020 due to COVID and COVID protocols, the flu has not gone away. If you are like mos...

It’s now the end of September 2021 and COVID-19 is definitely a household name. The topic of COVID-19 continues to dominate news stations, social media, and conversations in general. By this point, we all know what COVID-19 is and we likely know the symptoms...but what do you do if you actually have symptoms? What do you do if you don’t have symptoms but were exposed to someone with COVID-19? T...

We have gotten through Summer and are now coming into Fall. The weather is nicer and it makes all of us want to go out and explore more, take more bike rides, and spend more time playing in our yards. Everyone, including spiders. Spiders are most active during the end of Summer and throughout Fall. Although most spiders are harmless to humans, bites from spiders can be painful, irritating, and ...

We need to take a moment and actually have a talk about Ivermectin and its effects on not only the COVID-19 pandemic but also the effects it has on the human body. To get straight to the point, Ivermectin has not been authorized nor approved as a treatment or prevention against COVID-19. The medication is used to treat viral infections both inside and outside of the body. Ivermectin is safe to ...

Back to School For many of us, it’s been over a year since our children have returned to in-person school. Although our children are thrilled about returning to their teachers & friends, there is something else that is also thrilled about the kids returning to school. That something is lice. Pediculus humanus capitis is the scientific name given to these blood-sucking parasites that infest the...

As many of you know, a newer strain of COVID-19 is sweeping across Oklahoma, and the United States. Right when things start to feel a little “normal,” we are reminded that this pandemic is not nearly over. Oklahoma officials say that although about 45% of Oklahomans are vaccinated, it isn’t enough to stop the spread of the delta variant. With over 530 cases per day in Oklahoma County alone, and...

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an illness that normally presents itself in the winter season, but this year has proven to be different. According to the CDC, in the southern states, RSV has had an increase in number of cases early in the year. Even though RSV usually just presents itself with the symptoms of a cold – if it shows any symptoms at all – it can be dangerous.   RSV usually on...

Hot weather is here, and with it comes days spent outside at the pool, lake, beach or doing other outdoor activities. As the body’s largest organ, our skin has a big job and it’s important to keep it protected from the harmful UV rays of the sun. This can help prevent skin cancer as well as overall damage to the skin that can cause wrinkles, sagging, sunspots, and other signs of damage and prem...

Today’s workplaces are safer than ever. Thanks to 21st-century safety features, workplace incidents are down from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.8 per 100 in 2019 (source: OSHA). Staying educated and aware is key to continued workplace safety.  What contributes to employee injuries on the job?   In a nutshell, work-related injuries are any injury, illness, or condition you suffer...

With average temperatures in the south hovering in the 90s during the summer months, many of us are no stranger to dehydration. Dehydration is when your body loses or uses more fluid than you take in. If you don’t watch out for the warning signs and rehydrate before it becomes severe, dehydration can have long-term effects on your health. What causes dehydration? Excessive sweating is a commo...